What do Australia, England and the Dominican Republic all share with Japan? Our panelists from Nomura! Fleur, James and Elvis have had unique experiences growing up in these cultures, and ultimately ended up at Japanese financial investment company, Nomura.

On March 30th, LGBTQ students and allies from high schools spanning New York City met with Nomura Inc.’s LGBTQ affinity group at the Live Out Loud headquarters. Fleur, James, and Elvis gave presentations that tied together how cultural competency and embracing diversity play important roles in their LGBTQ identities at home and in the workplace.

After the panel discussion, students engaged in a creative activity that allowed them to “step into the shoes of a stockbroker”. Each group of students came up with an action plan and a pitch to convince Fleur, James, and Elvis to buy stock in a major corporation like Google or Walmart. One student said they enjoyed the “the hands on activity, because it gave me insight on the business atmosphere that I would like to be involved in the future”.

Students appreciated how the panelists opened up about their backgrounds and lives, which gave the students a real chance to connect with them. One student afterward shared, “all of the panelists were able to reach me indirectly. Their varied backgrounds and interests remind me of myself now”.